30 Pounds of Fentanyl Discovered by Massachusetts Law Enforcement

February 13, 2018

Source: Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office

According to the Boston Globe, a long-term investigation involving the efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies led to 33 arrests, the breaking up of a drug ring with direct ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, and the seizure of 30 pounds of fentanyl. That amount of fentanyl could cause over 4.5 million fatal overdoses, enough to kill over 65% of the state’s population. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Massachusetts State Police, and the Boston, Braintree, and Randolph, MA police departments all participated in the case.

Edward Soto-Perez of Roxbury, the alleged ringleader, is under arrest, and Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley stressed how hard he worked to conceal his activities. At a press conference, he said, “Soto-Perez was clever and extremely diligent in covering his tracks. He used couriers to make deliveries and take cash payments. He switched cars regularly to foil court-authorized GPS tracking. And he would make as many as five sudden turns in the span of a mile to spot police surveillance teams.”

In the fall of 2017, authorities received permission for their first wiretap in the case, and the conversations proved so useful that additional wiretaps were granted for more than two dozen phone lines. Coded conversations attempted to hide the true nature of the discussions. While police were still working on a final tally of what they seized, Boston Police Commissioner William Evans said in no uncertain terms the positive impact these arrests would have: “These arrests and seizures will have a tremendous impact on the quality of life in Boston and many other Massachusetts cities and towns. The individuals arrested are responsible for pumping dangerous drugs into our communities.”